The Stronger the Foundation… The More Powerful and Impactful the Journey.

DAY 1

What a great first day. Officially the Momentum trip started this afternoon. We spent the first part of our day soaking in the sun and warm salty air at the beach. Some much appreciated R&R, in preparation for the beginning of our trip. We were sitting all together, laughing, sharing like a group of long-time friends and unknowingly building the foundation between us that will allow for our collective openness with each other, growth and re-discovery of ourselves. The stronger the foundation, the bond, and the unity between us, the more powerful and impactful the journey.

This evening was the opening night of the MOMentum trip and already powerful it was.

We heard from our trip leader Ruchi Koval who introduced us to the wonderful work MOMentum has done, what it stands for, and the values and principles it looks to instill. There too, the foundation was laid for the rest of our trip, in the form of 4 fundamental principles.

The notion that knowledge is power.

I believe it is. Knowledge allows us to live from a place other than fear, to choose more wisely and thus to attain what is true power: that of personal growth.

Life perspective: that it’s never all or nothing.

It isn’t. In life, things are rarely truly black or white. They usually fall somewhere within the array of colours in between. When we remember that things can be nuanced, they are more readily acceptable and navigable. We can more fully accept who we are and each other.

That a wise person is one who learns from everyone.

True wisdom is acquired through the realization that the world is made up of different people for a reason. What if the intention was that we could learn something from each one of them. The people we encounter in our life are here out of a sort of universal kindness. To draw our attention to a life lesson, mirror something to us, and teach us. All so we can become better versions of ourselves.

And finally, that words matter.

I especially love that one. Words matter very much. In a way, they ARE matter. Each word contains different energy. Words are like notes in a symphony, a paint stroke on an artist’s canvas. Any message can be conveyed. The choice of words and their delivery though is what ultimately makes all the difference. The choice is ours. We must make words matter.

Truly an inspiring night. Great venue, food, ambiance and lots and lots of dancing. There is something to be said about the power of close to 200 women from all across North America, gathered in one hall, dancing all together. We were collectively sharing a celebratory moment, while each was creating our own experience, of that same moment. To an observer, it would have looked like we were all there at someone’s milestone party or Simcha. In a sense, I believe we were. We were celebrating each other and ourselves. We were both simultaneously giving and receiving the energy that filled the room. It was a recognition and embrace of the power of our united womanhood. I have a feeling we will be experiencing a lot more of that on this trip.

What an amazing opening night!

Thank you MOMentum! We can’t wait for tomorrow!

Martine Cohen
JEMS
Montreal, QC, Canada